IF THEY could find any consolation in a derby day mauling, Culdaff could be somewhat thankful that they weren’t victims of a greater ordeal at the hands of Glengad United.
Culdaff FC 1 Glengad United 9
The champions swept to a landslide win against a decimated Culdaff, whose manager Derek Doherty could only watch helpless as the goals rained in.
Glengad, as is their wont these days, were in the sort of ruthless form that has shaped the Crua outfit and yet there were still moments here when Shane Byrne, the Glengad manager might’ve been tearing the hair from his head.
[adrotate group=”37″]Even when they led 6-1 early in the second half, Glengad squandered some glorious chances and they could easily have turned the knife even deeper on Culdaff.
There was an ominous feel before kick-off at Caratra Park.
The natives were minus the services of Paul Fildara, Benny Fildara, Darragh McLaughlin, Darren McLarkey and Conor Farren, who opted to line out with Malin’s Gaelic footballers against Naomh Muire.
[adrotate group=”38″]Terence Doherty (2), Paddy McDermott, Matthew Byrne, John McDaid, Nigel McMonagle, an own goal from Dillon Roddy and a brace by substitute Paul Anthony McDermott saw Glengad leave the home of their neighbours having inflicted an afternoon of pain on their hosts.
From the moment Paddy McDermott opened the scoring, after only 51 seconds, the day had an inevitable run to it, though Culdaff did threaten to make a game of it when Roddy forced home a goal to make it 2-1.
Culdaff FC
It was brief reprieve, but the home side did have moments when Kevin McLaughlin, the Glengad goalkeeper, had to be at his best.
They were sporadic, though, and the problem for Culdaff was that the game was gone from them before they really had a chance to get going.
Glengad, themselves missing Stephen Fildara to GAA commitments and the injured Seamus Doherty and Michael Byrne, began with purpose and hit the front before a minute had elapsed.
Paddy McDermott’s looping shot flew over young goalkeeper Pauric O’Donnell, one of those drafted in by Culdaff boss Doherty to boost the numbers that had been as few as nine at one stage this morning.
[adrotate group=”46″]There was a touch of good fortune about the strike, but it enabled Glengad to quickly gain control.
Eugene McLaughlin turned over the crossbar from a Noel McLaughlin corner and Noel McLaughlin fired wide with an opening for Culdaff, but Glengad doubled their advantage in the 13th minute.
Somehow, the ball stayed out when, first, Paddy McDermott hit the post and McDaid’s follow up came off the bar, but McDaid finally applied the finish with a rare headed goal.
[adrotate group=”82″]Culdaff had a lifeline when Roddy managed to prise the ball over the line when Glengad failed to defend a teasing free-kick by their former team-mate Ryan Greene.
Within 90 seconds, the wind was removed from their sails as Glengad scored a magnificent team goal, the finish applied by Matthew Byrne, the left-back, with a sweeping finish to the far corner.
The pick of the bunch was McMonagle’s sumptuous strike after half-an-hour. Shane Canning’s pass created the moment, but McMonagle still had work to do. A sharp change of feet saw the Moville man curl a brilliant effort beyond O’Donnell into the top shelf.
Kevin McLaughlin denied Michael Coyle with a fine one-handed save and the Glengad stopper thwarted Greene with an equally-outstanding stop moments later.
Before half-time, Doherty broke clear to round O’Donnell and add number five, perhaps more pertinently the first of the season for the last term’s top goalscorer.
[adrotate group=”81″]Culdaff’s vessel was leaking water rapidly by then and, six minutes into the second half, Terence Doherty’s shot was turned into his own goal by Roddy.
Glengad took the feet off the gas for a time, but added three goals late on.
On 76 minutes, Jason Doherty’s diagonal ball was turned across goal by McMonagle and Terence Doherty applied the finish.
Culdaff, who have also lost the services of Conor Keddy to Cockhill Celtic recently, would gladly have packed up and gone home at that point, but there was still time for Glengad to net two more.
Paul Anthony McDermott, after going close with a pair of chances after his introduction, finished well in the 82nd minute and, with a minute remaining, tucked home his second after Paddy McDermott worked the chance.
[adrotate group=”52″]With young full-back James McKinney excellent, new signing Canning efficient and the old reliables merciless, Glengad look the part again, while Culdaff, demoralised and deflated as George McLaughlin called time, face some searching times.
Culdaff FC: Pauric O’Donnell; Gary Smyth (Thomas O’Brien 46), Ryan Greene, Dillon Roddy, Benny McGranaghan (Seamus McLaughlin 73); Noel McLaughlin, Gary Collins, William Hutchison, Eugene McLaughlin; Michael Coyle, Niall McLaughlin.
Glengad United: Kevin McLaughlin; James McKinney, John Gerard McLaughlin, Jason Doherty, Matthew Byrne (PJ McDaid 58); John McDaid, Adam Byrne (Paul Anthony McDermott 55), Shane Canning, Nigel McMonagle; Paddy McDermott; Terence Doherty.
Referee: George McLaughlin.
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